Relational model between just world beliefs for self and others with mental health Indicators: structural equations model

Document Type : Research Paper

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Abstract

The just world beliefs, are the beliefs about justice presence in world and living conditions. These beliefs in many situations can affect human psychological states and behavior. This research was conducted with regard to these beliefs importance and the main purpose of this study was to investigate relational model between just world beliefs for self and others with general health, life satisfaction, positive and negative affect and automatic thoughts.
Methods and Materials: The research statistical population was the total of Isfahan city habitants. Sample group was 400 persons (200 male and 200 female) which selected with use of multi-stage sampling method from Isfahan east, west, north and south regions. Questionnaires which used in this research were: general health questionnaire (with 28 items and four subscale include somatization, anxiety and insomnia, social dysfunction and depression), positive and negative affect scales (PANAS with 20 items; 10 for positive affect and 10 for negative affect), automatic thoughts (with 30 items), life satisfaction (with 5 item) and just world beliefs questionnaires for self and others (each with 8 item). The validity of the questionnaires investigated and verified with the use of face and content validity. The reliability of the questionnaires was also investigated and verified with the use of alpha and spilt- half methods (Speamar- Brown and Guttmann methods). Data analyzed with using structural equations model (Path analysis). The above analysis conducted with the use of LISREL statistical package (8.5 versions).
Results: The results showed that from all of the research variables, only life satisfaction have significant directive path coefficient with just world beliefs for self (B= 0.339, P<0.01) and others (B=0.218, P<0.01). Hence in next level, automatic thoughts have significant path coefficient with life satisfaction (B= -0.365, P<0.01). And finally the result showed that there has been significant path coefficient between other research variables.
Discussion: The result of this research showed that most effective path for adjusting just world beliefs for self and others are: social dysfunction to general health, to automatic thoughts and to life satisfaction for just world beliefs (for self and other) respectively.

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